Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Section 3: Allah's choice of the descendants of Abraham (as)

Sins of those who love Allah and his Apostle are forgiven - Mary's dedication for service to the Lord - The glad tidings to Zachariah of being granted a son,

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 31

قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ {31}

31. "Say: ' If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful ',"

The verses under discussion, including the above verse, have been revealed about a group of the People of the Book, (the Christians from Najran), who used to say:

"We are the lovers of the Lord."

Then Allah defines 'the followers of the Apostle of Allah' as the clear example of this love, and tells His Apostle Muhammad thus:

"Say, 'If you love Allah, then follow me..."

If you are true in what you claim -that you love Allah -then follow the Apostle of Allah. This act of following is the same as obeying Allah. It is in this case that, Allah loves you and forgives your sins.

"…Allah will love you and forgive you your sins; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful'."

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 32

قُلْ أَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْكَافِرِينَ

32. "Say: ' Obey Allah and the Apostle '. But if they turn back, then verily Allah does not love the disbelievers."

The love of Allah due to His servant is that He wills to reward the servant, while the love of a servant towards the Lord is that the one heartily wishes to obey Him and to serve Him, because love originate from one's intention. Then, to emphasize on this subject, the Qur'an says:

"Say: 'Obey Allah and the Apostle '..."

The objective meaning of this sentence is as such: if you claim that you love Allah, then you should reveal the sign of your love by obeying and following Allah and His Messenger.

But, if you disobey Him and His Apostle by rejecting the religion of Allah, the case is different.

"... But if they turn back..."

Then, Allah does not love disbelievers and, as a result of their infidelity, He will not give them any reward.

"... Then verily Allah does not love the disbelievers."

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verses 33-34

إِنَّ اللّهَ اصْطَفَى آدَمَ وَنُوحًا وَآلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلَ عِمْرَانَ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ

ذُرِّيَّةً بَعْضُهَا مِن بَعْضٍ وَاللّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

33. "Verily Allah chose Adam and Noah, and the progeny of Abraham and the progeny of 'Imran above all people."

34. "Some of them are offspring of the others; and Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing."

From this verse on, the explanation of the story of Mary and her forefathers begins. The purpose of' the family of Abraham' mentioned in this verse is Ismael and Issac and the offsprings of these two. The purpose of 'family of 'Imran' is Moses and Aron, the sons of 'Imran-ibn-Yashar.

"Verily Allah chose Adam and Noah, and the progeny of Abraham and the progeny of 'Imran above all people."

The term / Ŏurriyah / (offspring) is another form used instead of 'the family of Abraham and the family of 'Imr'an', and the phrase /ba'duha min ba'din / (one of the other) means that the family of Abraham and the family of 'Imran are both progenies from one origin separated from each other.

"Some of them are offsprings of the others; and Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing."

In some books,1 it is cited that 'the family of Abraham' is the same as' the family of Muhammad', Viz. Ahlul-Bayt, who, after Muhammad (S), are the immaculate ones from Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali and Fatimat-uz-Zahra (as) up to Hadrat Mahdi (May Allah hasten his glad advent), and that Allah does not choose anyone from amongst His servants unless the one be sinless, pure, and immaculate.

Therefore, such special persons elected from the family of Abraham and the family of 'Imran have to be the ones who have been sinless, whether they would have been chosen as prophets or as Imams.

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verses 35-36

إِذْ قَالَتِ امْرَأَةُ عِمْرَانَ رَبِّ إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لَكَ مَا فِي بَطْنِي مُحَرَّرًا فَتَقَبَّلْ مِنِّي إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

فَلَمَّا وَضَعَتْهَا قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّي وَضَعْتُهَا أُنثَى وَاللّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا وَضَعَتْ وَلَيْسَ الذَّكَرُ كَالأُنثَى وَإِنِّي سَمَّيْتُهَا مَرْيَمَ وِإِنِّي أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

35. "(Remember) when the wife of Imran said: ' My Lord! Verily I vowed to You what is within my womb to be (dedicated) for You (for Your service) freed; therefore accept from me; verily you are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing'."

36. So, when she delivered her, she said: 'My Lord! I have delivered a female (child) -and Allah knew best what she delivered - and the male is not like the female; and I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring into Your protection from the accursed Satan'."

The spouse of 'Imran, son of Mathan, was Mary's mother and grandmother of Jesus (as). Her name was Hannah. She had a sister by the name of 'Isha' who was Zachariah's wife. Her father's name was Faghuth. Thus, both Mary and Yahya (John) were cousins for each other.

The term /muharrir/, mentioned in the verse, means 'freed' for serving in Jerusalem so that another person does not appoint her upon doing one's own affairs.

"(Remember) when the wife of 'Imran said...."

It is narrated from Imam Sadiq (as) who has said: "Allah revealed 'Imran that He would give him a son who could heal the blind and the leprous and raise the dead to life by Allah's leave, and He would make of him a prophet unto the Children of Israel, 'Imran informed his wife of that matter,"2

So, when Hannah became pregnant with Mary, she said:

"..' My Lord! Verily I vowed to You what is within my womb to be (dedicated) for You (for Your service) freed, therefore accept from me..."

Here, the phrase 'accept from me' means that, I ask You to accept my vow with Your consent.

"…Verily You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing'."

"So, when she delivered her, she said: …"

The spouse of 'Imran wished to deliver a son, but when she delivered Mary she became ashamed and, with her head hung, bashfully said:

"…'My Lord! I have delivered a female (child),…"

'Imran's wife expressed this statement with sigh and regret, because she hoped to deliver a son and hence she vowed to devote him for the service of the Lord in the place of worship,

"…. and Allah knew best what she delivered -and the male is not like the female; ....."

And You know that, for the aim I have vowed, son and daughter are not alike. A female can not afford the duties concerned to a male as he is able to perform them. Therefore, to magnify her she-child, Allah, in reply to her, said:

"…and Allah knew best what she delivered- …"

This response means that the Lord is more cognizant than her to Mary and what is concerned to her due to the important affairs that her mother does not know.

It is recognized from this sentence that naming Mary with this appellation was done by her mother at the time of delivery. By the way, it should be noted that the term Mary, in their lexicon, meant 'a saint worshipping lady'.

So, this kind of naming had been a sign of ultimate love and affection of that pure mother for dedicating her dear child alongside the path of the servitude of Allah (s.w.t.). That is why, after performing this auspicious naming, she asked the Lord to protect this child and the progeny that would come into being from her thereafter from the temptations of Satan and to keep them in His merciful shelter.

" ...and I commend her and her offspring into Your protection from the accursed Satan'."

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 37

فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ وَأَنبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا الْمِحْرَابَ وَجَدَ عِندَهَا رِزْقاً قَالَ يَا مَرْيَمُ أَنَّى لَكِ هَـذَا قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ اللّهِ إنَّ اللّهَ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَاء بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ

37. "So, her Lord accepted her with a good acceptance and made (the plant of) her grow a goodly growth, and He cherished her under the care of Zakariya. Whenever Zakariya entered the sanctuary to (see) her, he would find with her a sustenance. He said: ' O' Mary! Whence have you got this?, She said: 'It is from Allah. Verily Allah provides with sustenance for whomever He wills without measure'."

"So, her Lord accepted her with a good acceptance... "

Mary was a girl, yet Allah accepted the vow of her mother with pleasure (that she be set in Jerusalem to serve instead of a boy), which itself was a grace of Allah to her.

"... and made (the plant of) her grow a goodly growth ..."

The Lord made her growth and development good. He trained her well and, in all circumstances in her life, improved her affairs nicely.

"... and He cherished her under the care of Zakariya..."

That is, Allah added Mary to the family members (Ahlul-Bayt) of Zachariah and caused him to be Mary's cherisher and guardian, as well as a sponsor of her interests.

"... whenever Zakariya entered the sanctuary to (see) her, he would find with her a sustenance..."

Every time Zachariah entered Mary's sanctuary, (and he used to do it frequently), he would find fresh wholesome fruits with her which did not belong to that season.

"….He said: ' O' Mary! Whence have you got this?'…"

When Zachariah asked her where that sustenance had come from, Mary answered:

"... She said: 'It is from Allah '..."

That is, Mary replied him that it had come from Heaven, and that was a grace from the side of Allah unto her.

In Kashshaf , (At- Tafsir-ul-Kashshaf),' it is cited that during the time of famine and drought, one day the Prophet (S) had become hungry.

Then, Fatimah (as) sent two loaves of bread and some meat as a present for him in order to make him happy and honour him. The holy Prophet (S), carrying that present with him, came to Fatimah's house. When he entered the house, he said:

"My daughter! Come to me. "

When she came nigh to him, the Prophet (S) put the cover from over the tray aside. At that time, (those who were present there saw that) the tray was full of bread and meat. So, Fatimah was surprised when she saw them and comprehended that they had come down from the side of Allah.

Then the Prophet (S) asked her:

"Whence has this come to you?"

Fatimah (as), answered:

"It is from Allah. He provides with sustenance for whomever He wills without measure."

Then, the Messenger of Allah (S) said:

"I praise Allah Who has set you (O' Fatimah!) like the chief Lady of the women of Israelites (i.e. Mary)."

After that, the Prophet (S) called Hadrat Ali-ibn Abi Talib (as), Imam Hassan (as), Imam Husayn (as) and all the members of his-house to gather around that tray. Then, all of them ate from that food so that they satiated.

Yet, there was still some considerable food remained in the tray, (so much so as if nothing had been consumed of it). So, Hadrat Fatimah (as) distributed it among people living in her neighbourhood.3

"…. Verily Allah provides with sustenance for whomever He wills without measure, ' "

Allah gives sustenance without measure since His power and sovereignty has no limit or finite, and whatever is taken from it, nothing will be decreased of it.

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verses 38-39

هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنْكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاء

فَنَادَتْهُ الْمَلآئِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي فِي الْمِحْرَابِ أَنَّ اللّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيَـى مُصَدِّقًا بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ اللّهِ وَسَيِّدًا وَحَصُورًا وَنَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ

38. "It way then (that) Zakariya prayed to his Lord; he said: 'My Lord! grant me from You a good offspring; verily You are the Hearer of all prayers'."

39. "Then the angels called unto him while he way standing praying in the sanctuary: 'Verily Allah gives you the glad tidings of Yahya (who comes) to confirm a Word from Allah, and honourable and chaste, and a prophet from among the righteous'."

"It way then (that) Zakariya prayed to his Lord..."

The first Qur'anic word mentioned in the above verse is /hunalika/ which means: 'in that place'. It was the place at the sanctuary where Zachariah saw the position and honour of Mary with Allah and wished he had also a child from his wife, 'Isha', similar to the child of his sister, Hannah, although his wife was barren.

"... he said: 'My Lord! grant me from You a good offspring..."

Zachariah prayed and asked his Lord to give him an auspicious, pious and sound child.

"...Verily You are the Hearer of all prayers."

"Then the angels called unto him while he was standing praying in the sanctuary: 'Verily Allah gives you the glad tidings of Yahya (who comes) to confirm a Word from Allah, and honourable and chaste, and a prophet from among the righteous'."

At that time, when Zachariah (as) was standing praying in the sanctuary, some angels called him that Allah granted him the glad tidings of a son, Yahya (John), in the case that he (John) would confirm the Word of Allah (Hadrat Masih, Jesus), and would become a leader and honourable. He would be apart from low desires and a prophet from among the pious.

Thus, not only Allah informed him the acceptance of his prayer by the angels, but also stated five characteristics of the qualities of that pure child. They are as follows:

1. Yahya (John) acknowledged Jesus (as) as a true prophet and he believed him. John was six months older than Jesus (as), and he confirmed his prophet hood. He was the first certifier of him and testified that Jesus (as) was the Word and the Spirit of Allah.

This very fact was one of the miracles concerning Jesus (as) as well as the most authoritative means of the advent and propagation of his auspicious prophet hood, because people did accept the statement of John due to his piety and truthfulness.

By the way, in Arabic, the terms 'Isa and Yahya nearly have a similar meaning. Both of them mean 'to live long'.

"... (who comes) to confirm a Word from Allah ..."

2. Yahya (John) became the chief of his tribe and had preference over them from the point of honesty, knowledge, worship, and good manner.

"... honourable and chaste ..."

3. He restrained himself from the low desires, and also from following the violent filthy passions, and mammonism.

4. He would become an honest exalted prophet. It should also be noted that the prophet hood of John had been settled from his childhood. The reference for this meaning is Surah Maryam, No, 19, verse 13 which says:

"... and we granted him wisdom while yet a child."

That is, we gave him the rank of prophet hood at the time of his childhood. In many Islamic traditions, the Imamate of Hadrat Imam Jawad (as), who became Imam when he was seven years old, as well as the Imamate of Hadrat Mahdi (may Allah hasten his glad advent), have been reasoned to John and Jesus (as) who became prophets when they were in the course of their childhood.4

"... and a prophet from among the righteous."

5. This prophet (John) was from amongst the righteous people.

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 40

قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّىَ يَكُونُ لِي غُلاَمٌ وَقَدْ بَلَغَنِيَ الْكِبَرُ وَامْرَأَتِي عَاقِرٌ قَالَ كَذَلِكَ اللّهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاء

40. "He said: ' My Lord! how can I have a son (born) while, indeed, old age has already over taken me, and my wife is barren ? ' He said: 'Even so does Allah whatsoever He pleases'."

By hearing that glad tiding Zachariah became very happy so that he could not conceal his surprise because of such a subject that happened. Therefore:

"He said: ' My Lord! how can I have a son (born) while, indeed, old age has already over taken me, and my wife is barren?' ..."

Then, he was answered thus:

"... He said: ' Even so does Allah whatsoever He pleases'."

With this concise sentence, which laid emphasis on the influence of the Divine Will, Zachariah was convinced.

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 41

قَالَ رَبِّ اجْعَل لِّيَ آيَةً قَالَ آيَتُكَ أَلاَّ تُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ ثَلاَثَةَ أَيَّامٍ إِلاَّ رَمْزًا وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ كَثِيراً وَسَبِّحْ بِالْعَشِيِّ وَالإِبْكَارِ

41. "He (Zakariya) said: 'My lord! Appoint a token for me'. He said: ' The token for you (will be) that you cannot speak unto human beings for three days except by signals; and remember your Lord immensely and glorify (Him) in the evening and early morning."

Here, Zachariah (as) asked Allah for a token for that glad tiding he received, in order to make his heart completely certain. It was similar to the case that Abraham (as) requested Allah to see the scene of resurrection to make his heart certain more than before.

"He (Zakariya) said: 'My Lord! Appoint a token for me' ..,"

In answer to him, Allah said that the token for him was that he could not speak to people for three days, except by signals, and his tongue, without having any disease or natural disorder, would stop talking with men:

"... He said: 'The token for you (will be) that you cannot speak unto human beings for three days except by signals..."

Yet, to show his (Zachariah's) gratitude to that bounty, the verse says:

"….and remember your Lord immensely and glorify (Him) in the evening and early morning."

Thus, the Lord accepted the request of Zachariah. But his tongue could not move speaking with people for three days and nights without being involved by any natural cause. Yet, in the meanwhile, he was in a condition that he was still able to be busy murmuring the name of Allah.

That wonderful state was a sign of Allah's power dominated over everything. The Lord, Who is able to open the speechless dumb tongue when it starts to invoke the name of Allah, is also able to bring a believing child into existence from a fruitless barren womb. This occurrence can be the manifestation of the remembrance of the Providence, too.

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 42

وَإِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللّهَ اصْطَفَاكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَاصْطَفَاكِ عَلَى نِسَاء الْعَالَمِينَ

42. "And (remember) when the angels said: 'O' Mary! Verily Allah has chosen you and purified you and preferred you above the women of the worlds '."

It is cited in some books such as: Al-Minar, Qurtubi, Maraqi, Rouhul-Bayan, and Fakhr-Razi that the pre-eminents of the women of the world were four persons: Mary, 'Asiyah, Khadijah, and Fatimah (as).

Some Islamic literature, narrated from Ahlul-Bayt (as) also denotes that Mary was the preeminent woman among the women of her time, while Fatimah (as) is the preeminent throughout of the history.5

It should be noted, of course, that when Allah, the Wise, chooses a person as preeminent it is because of a special series of efficiencies and eligibilities that the one has. So, this preeminence of Mary over all women of the world was not but because of her piety and virtues. Yes, she had been chosen to give birth to a prophet such as Jesus (as).

Explanations

1. Angels may speak to human beings other than prophets, too.

2. A woman can reach the rank of Divine sainthood so that Allah sends messages to her.

3. Mary was both chosen for virtues and became the preeminent of the women. That is why the Arabic phrase /istafaki/ (has chosen you) has been repeated twice in the verse.

"And (remember) when the angels said:

'O' Mary! Verily Allah has chosen you and purified you and preferred you above the women of the worlds '."

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 43

يَا مَرْيَمُ اقْنُتِي لِرَبِّكِ وَاسْجُدِي وَارْكَعِي مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ

43. "O' Mary! worship your Lord devoutly and prostrate yourself and bow you down with those who bow (unto Him)."

In this verse, the statement is from other angels who addressed Mary and told her:

"O' Mary! Worship your Lord devoutly and prostrate yourself and bow you down with those who bow (unto Him)."

This accomplishment of Mary, indeed, is a kind of gratitude for those great bounties she was given.

By the way, the attendance of women in worshipping communities has been recommended, (on the condition that women treat similar to that which Mary did).

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 44

ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَنبَاء الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيكَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يُلْقُون أَقْلاَمَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يَكْفُلُ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يَخْتَصِمُونَ

44. "This is of the news of the Unseen which we reveal to you; and you were not with them when they did cast (their lots with) their pens as to which of them should have the charge of Mary; and you were not with them (to see) when they were quarrelling (among themselves)."

This verse points to another part of the story of Mary. It denotes that: O' Muhammad! what Was expressed for you about the story of Mary and Zachariah is from among the news of Unseen revealed to you:

"This is of the news of the Unseen which We revealed to you..."

This is revealed to you because these stories in this form, which are proper and free from any superstition, and whose reference is merely heavenly revelation of the Qur'an, are not found in any of the former revealed Books, those which have been distorted later.

Then, it continues saying that when they throwing their pens into water to cast their lots in order to decide who should have the charge of Mary, you were not present therein with them. And also, when the scholars of the Israelite were quarrelling among themselves to obtain the honour of her guardianship, you were not with them. So, We informed you of all of them by means of revelation.

"... and you were not with them (to see) when they were quarrelling (among themselves)."

It is understood from this verse and the verses of Surah As-Safat, No 37, about Yunus (Jonah) that when a problem comes forth which is not soluble, or when there is an endless dispute with quarrelling that no way is found to put an end to it, and it is impossible to unite that knot, casting a lot can be applied.

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 45

إِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلآئِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنْهُ اسْمُهُ الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ

45. "(Remember) when the angels said: ' O' Mary! Verily Allah gives you the glad tidings with a Word from Him whose name shall be Christ, Jesus, son of Mary; eminent in this world and the Hereafter, and of those nearest (to Allah),"

In the Qur'an, Jesus is nominated to /kalimah/ (word) which, in the Qur'anic texts, has been used in the sense of a 'creature', One example is its application in Surah Al-Kahf. No.18. Verse 109, where it says:

"….the sea would surely be consumed before the words of my Lord are exhausted…"

Here, 'words' has been rendered into 'creatures'.

The commendation 'held in honour in this world and the Hereafter' has been used in the Qur'an only for Jesus (as) and, thus, none else is qualified by it throughout the Qur'an,

Explanations

1. The position of a woman elevates so high that Allah talks to her by the way of angels,

"(Remember) when the angels said: 'O' Mary! Verily Allah gives you the glad tidings with a word from Him…"

2. Allah sometimes nominates His saints before their birth:

"…whose name shall be Christ, Jesus..."

3. Jesus (as) is not a son of Allah but he is a creature of Allah:

"…a Word from Him…"

How can be the son of Allah the one who was borne from Mary and had passed the foetal course!

"….son of Mary…"

4. A child is a bounty,

"...eminent in this world and the Hereafter and of those nearest (to Allah)."

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 46

وَيُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلاً وَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ

46. "And he will speak to the people in the cradle and in adulthood, and will be one of the righteous."

To speak as prediction in cradle is the miracle of Jesus. He spoke to people when he was in cradle. His speech, when he would become aged, was another prediction of Jesus which meant he would live to become grown up.

"And he will speak to the people in the cradle and in adulthood."

Explanations

1. The One who is able to bring a child for Mary without having a husband, can make a baby speak in the cradle.

2. Where Allah wills to protect a person from accusation and imputation, He makes the mute tongue of a baby speak.

3. Where Allah intends, a baby speaks like a grown up person, too.

4. The child of a righteous woman, such as Mary, is Jesus, the righteous.

"... and will be one of the righteous."

5. In childhood, too, it is possible for him to convey the message of Allah to others. So, some of our Imams, like Imam Jawad (as), Imam Ali-an-Naqi (as), and Imam al-Mahdi (as), were appointed to Imamate when they were in childhood.

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 47

قَالَتْ رَبِّ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لِي وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي بَشَرٌ قَالَ كَذَلِكِ اللّهُ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاء إِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ

47. "She said: 'My Lord! How can I have a child when no man has touched me?' He said: 'Even so Allah creates what He pleases. When he decrees a matter (to be), He only says to it 'BE!' and it is '."

The Will of Allah is the cause of creation and he can create without any material means or material cause. Allah is the cause of all causes. Sometimes He takes the effect of a thing from it and sometimes gives a particular effect to a thing.

The appearance of existence, the maintenance of existence, the effects of existence, and the quantity, the quality and the duration of the effects of all things depend on the Will and pleasure of Allah. The Qur'an, in answer to the request of Zachariah, says:

"Even so does Allah whatsoever He pleases."6

While in answer to Mary it says:

"Even so Allah creates what he pleases."

The secret of this difference -does & creates -in the statement may lie in this that a child coming forth from a lady without being touched with a spouse is more surprising than that an old man brings an offspring from his old wife.

Then, to complete this meaning, the Qur'an says:

"...When He decrees a matter (to be), He only says to it 'BE!' and it is '."

Explanations

1. Allah is powerful in creation. He can create creatures both through the natural means and without natural means. Both of them are the same for Him,

"... He said: 'Even so Allah creates what He pleases."

When he decrees a matter (to be), He only says to it 'BE!' and it is '."

2. Allah's creation through an unusual way is not a new thing. This manner has had some former samples, too.

3. It does not matter for a person to wonder and ask question when its origin is not denial and obstinacy.

"She said: 'My Lord! how can I have a child when no man has touched me?'

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 48

وَيُعَلِّمُهُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَالتَّوْرَاةَ وَالإِنجِيلَ

48. "And He will teach him the Book, and the wisdom, and the Torah and the Evangel."

In books provided by both main Islamic schools of thought, it is cited that the purpose of the Qur'anic phrase 'He will teach the Book' is 'writing, and teaching how to write' and the purpose of /hikmah/ (wisdom) is being conversant unto the merits, effects, goodness and evils of things, deeds morals and beliefs, whether those things belong to this world or to the coming world.

Explanations

1. One of the principles and conditions of leadership is knowing the necessary things -being conversant unto science, wisdom, and the contents of the heavenly Books.

"And He will teach him the Book, and the wisdom, and the Torah and the Evangel."

2. At any time, the leader of a community should have conversance of the former incidents and laws. (Jesus (as) was taught Torah which was from the time of Moses.)

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 49

وَرَسُولاً إِلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنِّي قَدْ جِئْتُكُم بِآيَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ أَنِّي أَخْلُقُ لَكُم مِّنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ فَأَنفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيْرًا بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَأُبْرِئُ الأكْمَهَ والأَبْرَصَ وَأُحْيِـي الْمَوْتَى بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا تَأْكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

49. "And (He will make Jesus) a Messenger to the Children of Israel, (saying): 'Verily, I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. I will make for you like the figure of a bird out of clay, then I will breathe into it, and it shall become a bird by Allah's leave; and I will (also) heal the blind and the leprous and will raise the dead to life by Allah's leave; and I will inform you of what you eat and what you store up in your houses. Verily in that is a sign for you if you (indeed) are believers. "

This verse points to the miracles of Jesus (as). At first it says:

"And (He will make Jesus) a Messenger to the Children of Israel..."

Then, the Qur'an continues saying that he was commissioned to tell people:

"...I have come to you with a sign from your Lord..."

This sign was not only a single sign but it had also some numerous branches; thus:

"... I will make for you like the figure of a bird out of clay, then I will breathe into it, and it shall become a bird by Allah's leave..."

Then, it refers to his second miracle and states about the treatment of refractory diseases in some ordinary ways. It says:

"... and I will (also) heal the blind and the leprous... "

No doubt these subjects, especially for the physicians and scholars of that time, were some undeniable miracles.

In the third stage, it points to another miracle, saying:

" ...and will raise the dead to life by Allah's leave..."

This phenomenon is something that is considered among miracles and extraordinary actions at any time or period. The writer of Majma'-ul-Bayan says that Jesus (as) raised many dead persons to life.

Among them, it happened that he saw a dead was being carried in a coffin on the shoulders of people. Jesus (as) prayed for the dead one to bring him back to life again when the dead raised to life and came down from people's shoulder. Then he wore clothes and returned to his home and, later, he got a son.7

Another time Jesus (as) raised a ten-year-old girl to life when it was one day after her death. She returned home and, after a length of time, she married and borne an offspring.

These kind of miracles also occurred abundantly by, and at the time of the Prophet of Islam (S) and Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (as) and other Imams from Ahlul-Bayt (as). For example, one day a man from Kufah, an ancient city in Mesopotamia, came to Hadrat Rida in Khorasan, located in the east of Iran, and said:

"O' progeny of the Messenger of Allah! the inhabitants of Kufah have seen many miracles from your ancestor, Amir-ul- Mu'mineen Ali (as) and, now, I ask you to do a miracle so that I can take it as a present to the people of Kufah."

Hadrat Rida (as), addressing the man, said:

"What do you want that I do?"

"My mother has died," the man said:

"I ask you to invocate that Allah raises her to life."

Imam Rida told him:

"Return home and you will find your mother alive."

When the man reached home in Kufah, he found his mother alive. He announced to people that the happening was the miracle of Imam Rida. So, that woman lived for some years after that and finally she died again.8

It is noteworthy that the reason that Jesus (as) was given those kinds of miracle was that at his time the science of medicine had progressed vastly. So, Allah appointed his miracle of the same knowledge of that time so that Jesus (as) could overcome the scientists and scholars of his time, expert in that field, in order that his prophet hood be proved.

The similar case happened for Moses, son of 'Imran (as), when sorcery had gone to its climax and had spread very vastly. Allah gave him the miracle of Rod to nullify their magic, and made the sorcerers unable to bring something like that.

The knowledge and art of the people at the time of our prophet, Muhammad Mustafa (S), was rhetoric and elegance. Therefore, Allah manifested the miracle of the Qur'an to them: the surprising tone and the wonders of statements, and the marvellous style of the word of Allah, all of which made those people unable to bring the like of it.

However, in the fourth stage, it refers to the hidden secrets of people. Usually everybody has some personal affairs in his / her life that are mysteries and others rarely know them, but Jesus (as) said:

"...and I will inform you of what you eat and what you store up in your houses..."

At the end, the verse, referring to all of these four divine miracles, says:

"... Verily in that is a sign for you if you (indeed) are believers."

It is understood from the content of the above mentioned verse, as well as the similar verses of this sense in the Qur'an, that the saints and Messengers of Allah can, by His leave, interfere in the world of nature and creation, when it is necessary.

They can cause some incidents to happen which are extraordinary and different from the natural process of the current affairs. This matter is something higher than Master-ship /wilayah/ (in religion, i.e. guardianship over people), which, in Islamic literature, idiomatically is called: /wilayat takwini/ i.e. (genetic authority).

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 50

وَمُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَلِأُحِلَّ لَكُم بَعْضَ الَّذِي حُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَجِئْتُكُم بِآيَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ

50. "And (I come) conforming that which is before me of the Torah and to make lawful to you a part of that which has been forbidden unto you; and I come unto you with a sign from your Lord; therefore, be in awe of Allah and obey me."

This verse is also the continuation of the expressions of Jesus (as), In fact, he explains a part of the aims of his appointment to prophet hood. It says:

"And (I come) conforming that which is before me of the Torah…,"

He said he also came to allow them to use some of the things which (because of transgression and sin) had become forbidden for them. (The things were such as the meat of camel, some of animal fats, some birds, and some kinds of fish.)

"…and to make lawful to you a part of that which has been forbidden unto you…"

Then, it adds:

".. and I came unto you with a sign from your Lord; .."

Through Surah Al-'An'am, No 6, verse 146, Allah says:

"And to those who were Jews We made unlawful every animal having claws, and of oxen and sheep We made unlawful to them the fat of both, except such as was on their backs or the entrails or what was mixed with bones:…"

Therefore; may be, those unlawful things which became lawful by Jesus (as) are these very things.

And, at the end of the verse, it concludes thus:

"… therefore, be in awe of Allah and obey me."

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 51

إِنَّ اللّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَـذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ

51. "Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord: therefore worship (only) Him; this is a straight path."

In this verse, the Qur'an speaks from the tongue of Jesus (as) and to remove any ambiguity or doubt and falsehood, and also in order that some people do not attach his exceptional birth as a means for his divinity, it says:

"Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord: therefore worship (only) Him; this is a straight path."

Here, Jesus (as) emphasizes that you must worship only Allah, neither me nor anything else. This is the way of monotheism, the straight path, not the path of paganism nor the path of duality or polytheism.

There are many other verses in the Qur'an, too, wherein Jesus (as) emphasizes on his worship and servitude before Allah. In spite of what is cited in the present perverted Evangels from the tongue of Jesus (as) that he often used the term ' Father' about himself, the Qur'an narrates the word /rabb/ (Lord) and the like of it from Jesus (as) which itself is an evidence to his utmost attention toward the effort and strive against paganism, or against the claim of divinity of Jesus (as).

Hence, as long as Jesus (as) was alive and was among people, no one dared to introduce him as one of gods. Besides that, as the Christian researchers have confessed, the subject of Trinity and belief in three gods (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost) appeared from the third century AD.

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 52

فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّ عِيسَى مِنْهُمُ الْكُفْرَ قَالَ مَنْ أَنصَارِي إِلَى اللّهِ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ اللّهِ آمَنَّا بِاللّهِ وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ

52. "And when Jesus perceived infidelity on their part, he said: "Who are going to be my helpers (on the way) towards Allah?' The disciples said: 'We are the helpers (on the way of) Allah! We believe in Allah and bear you witness that we are "Muslims'."

The Arabic term /hawariyun/ (helpers) is the plural form of /hawari/ in the sense of 'change of way '. The 'helpers' on the way towards Allah were those who left the deviated way of people and joined to the path of right,

In Safinat-ul-Bihar, it is narrated from Imam Rida (as) who in this respect, said:

"They were some people who purified and brightened themselves and tried to purify others both."9

It is cited in Al-Kafi, narrated from Imam Sadiq (as) who said:

"The helpers of Jesus left him when the stage of action came forth, but our helpers heartily accept kinds of calamities and do not abandon our obedience….."10

As Moses (as) prophesied, too, before coming Jesus (as), the Jewish people were waiting for his advent, but when he appeared and the unlawful interest of a perverted group of Children of Israel were exposed to danger, only a small group followed Jesus (as). The verse says:

"And when Jesus perceived infidelity on their part, he said: "Who are going to be my helpers (on the way) towards Allah?'…"

Here, only a small group responded this invitation positively. The Qur'an refers to these people as /hawariyun/ (helpers, the special disciples of Jesus (as).)

"...The disciples said: 'We are the helpers (on the way of) Allah! We believe in Allah and bear you witness that we are Muslims '. "

To prove their sincerity; the disciples of Jesus, in answer to him, said that they were the helpers (on the way of) Allah and they did not say that they were his helpers.

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 53

رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا بِمَا أَنزَلَتْ وَاتَّبَعْنَا الرَّسُولَ فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ

53. "Our Lord! We believe in what You have revealed and we follow the Messenger, so record us among the witnesses."

In this verse, there are some expressions stated which denote to the utmost sincerity and theistic belief of the disciples.

They presented their belief unto Allah like this and said:

"Our Lord! We believe in what You have revealed and we follow the Messenger, so record us among the witnesses."

Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 54

وَمَكَرُواْ وَمَكَرَ اللّهُ وَاللّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ

54. "And they devised, and Allah devised, and Allah is the best devisers."

At the time of the holy Christ (as) to stop the call of his invitation, a group of evil people planned some satanic plots against him. They devised to capture and prison him in order to set the preparation of his execution by hanging him.

So, they assigned some prizes to those who could show his place or would deliver him (as). But Allah obliterated their plots totally and rescued him in the best form.

"And they devised, and Allah devised, and Allah is the best devisers."

Explanations

1. The Will and device of Allah is above all kinds of effort and device that anybody may bring forth.

2. The Lord is the supporter of His saints.

3. The evil or good devices and deeds of human beings are the main factors to call the wrath or the grace of Allah.

Notes

1. Tafsir-ul-Burhan, Vol. 1, p. 277; Atyab-ul-Bayan, Vol. 3, p. 178; and Majma'-ul-Bayan, Vol. 2, p. 433

2. Bihar-ul-'Anwar, vol. 14, p. 203

3. Tafsir-Kashshaf, Vol. 1 p. 427

4. Atyab-ul-Bayan, Vol. 3, P. 189

5. A1-Mizan, vol. 4, p. 65 (Persian version)

6. The Quran, Surah Ale-'Imran, No.3, Verse 40

7. Majma' ul-Bayan, Vol. 2, P. 446

8. 'Ithbat-ul-Huda, Vol. 6, P. 149 (Persian version)

9. Safinat-ul-Bihar, vol. 2, p. 493

10. Ibid, narrated from Al-Kafi; Kitab-ul-Kufr

Chapter 2 - Political Roots of the Sahaba's Ultimate Decency Conception

Islamic political system

A. Contradiction Between Idealism and Reality

There is a complete difference between the Islamic political system adopted since the Prophet's decease till the period of the last Ottoman caliph, and the divine political system constituted by God's revelation to Mohammed, His slave, for managing Muslims' affairs in every time.

Insisting on the factual existence of such a difference, we, hereby, are to prove that there is a diversity among persons and reigns regarding size of this difference. It is trivial to assert on existence of this difference since it is a matter facilely realized by every sane provided that partisan imitation is abandoned. If the Islamic political system, with its divine form and contents, had been literally applied after the Prophet's decease, the Islamic state would not have collapsed; those seditious matters and massacres would not have occurred; the Islamic nation would not have been engaged in discrepancies; the glorious Islamic extension would not have stopped at this mass and, finally, Islam would have prevailed this whole globe causing a radical changing in the mankind history. In his An Experiment In The General History, the English Philosopher, Wales, one of the most notable thinkers of modern history, says that Islam would have conquered the whole world if only it had been kept on its first procession and the seditious matters avoided.[14] While the Arab scholars - as far as they could conceive - misthink of caliphate system as the factual Islamic political system and, hence, they demand with re applying it. It is proved that the factual Islamic political system is only that applied in the Prophet's reign. This occurred before the formation of the caliphate system, since it means succeeding the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Considering the Islamic system is caliphate; what was, then, the system applied in the Prophet's reign? Certainly, the political system applied in the Prophet's reign was the actual divine Islamic political system. This was utterly applied before the formation of caliphate. It is the origin and the ideal. Other strategies are not more than branches or forms of that ideal, which can be extended or acclimatized according to remoteness or closeness to the original.

B. the Islamic Political System

The Islamic political system is that applied by the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) during his divine solicitation for organizing relations with his followers. As this solicitation was developed into a government, the Prophet applied the same system during his leadership which lasted for ten years.

God perfected the religion and completed His grace upon people and explicated absolutely everything before the Prophet's decease. By extrapolating this system, it is believable to describe it as a divine system that is prepared and formulated to be the ideal international system leading to an ideal world. It is indeed divine in its ideal form and ultimate composition.

C. Pillars of the Islamic Political System

The Islamic political system is based upon four pillars connected to each other in such a way that any is impossibly separated from the others. In case any separation occurs, the system entirely loses its Islamic characteristics. This is by the reason that these pillars are the distinguishing feature of the system. Perfection of such pillars is the only method by which fruits of application of the system are given.

1st Pillar - Political Leadership

As a matter of fact, political leadership in every divine doctrine, among which is Islam, is nominated or elected directly by God. Applied to this fact is the prophets David, Solomon and Mohammed. It was none but God, the Elevated, who selected them as prophets and presidents of states of God's oneness. This divine decision is notified directly or indirectly. An instance on the indirect notification of God's selection is Saul, when elected as the Israelites’ political leader. One of the Israelite prophets declared God's decision of electing Saul as the assigned king. They protested claiming that Saul had not been fit enough for such a position. God revealed the many reasons owing to which this man was elected. Among these was Saul's superlative objective and physical competence. In addition, preference is God's concern; he, the Elevated, does know to whom He should give. Another example - on the indirect notification of God's selection - is God's nominating Ali­bn­Abi­Talib as the successor of Mohammed, the leader of the nation. This preference had been widespreadly declared by Mohammed in the sight and hearing of one hundred thousand Muslims. That was in the Prophet's last ritual pilgrimage; the Farewell Pilgrimage.

Purpose Of The Divine Election For Political Leadership

As regard to the question of leadership, the pure impeccable necessity of ordinary people is having the most learned, the most favorable and the fittest in positions of authority. Realizing such an individual with such qualifications, that are hidden for everybody, is an impracticable matter. Hence, God, as a sort of His mercy to His believing creatures, has shown them the very intended individual provided that they are honest in their searching for the most qualified. Leadership, as a matter of fact, is a technical process of specialization. In most cases, it is succession of prophesy. Guidance, advocacy, solicitation, wide­heartedness and decisive judgments parallel to the exact divine purpose beyond the entire rules of the divine juristic policy, are considerable qualifications of prophesy. It is not pertinent to commit these affairs to people's various fancies and tempers.

This pillar, in truth, is the only practical factor that demarcates the Islamic political system among other positive ones. Allowing conjecture and guess, positive strategies decide according to people's intents and humors in matter of electing the fittest for political leadership. This election will not be resulted from perfect precision that is exclusively gained by following the divine approach.

2nd Pillar - Organic Relationship Between Divine Doctrine And Selected Leaders

Thoroughly every divine manuscript is revealed to an individual, every divine guidance is committed to a director and every divine missive is revealed to selected messenger. Depending on so, relation between the divine manuscripts, guidance and missives, from one side, and the individuals, directors and messengers, from the other side, is organic in such a way that it cannot be incoherent.

It is inevitable to substantiate divine manuscript, explicate guidance and display missive for enabling followers to pursue, as well as altering the space between the beginning and the end result into a calling of interpretation and a field of application of the texts contents. By this operations, a fertile probation that betters and demonstrates the divine missive, manuscript and guidance will be progressed. Unless process of prophesy is technical and specialized, God may convey a copy for each individual. Mohammed, none else, is the qualified skilled in this field. He is the unique expert in field of calling for Islam in such a way that is fully concurrent to the divine intendment of the whole texts. He is the most learned of the divine missive, script and guidance, the superior follower and the fittest political leader who directs his followers pursuant to policies of the divine revelation. He whom is nominated by the Prophet, according to God's divine order, is the unshared authorized for keeping perpetuity of the organic relation between the divine doctrine and its political leadership.

3rd Pillar - The Divine Jurisprudential Formulation

According to the Islamic political system, the Imam - political leader - is restricted to the divine jurisprudential formulation. Hence, he does not enjoy any sort of self-determination in the field of issuing judgments. The Imam's judgment, however, must be fully and identically concurrent to the divine will in both characterization and components. The jurisprudential formulation is God's making. It is the operative law to which every individual under leadership of the Imam - political leader - is submitted. Repeatedly, the jurisprudential formulation is not the constituting of the Imam or the mandate people, it is God's making. As a matter of facts, Mohammed's sayings are not more than forms of explicating and expounding upon the divine revelation. This is regarded as another difference between the Islamic political system and positive ones which are issued and organized by some individuals and imposed upon followers. The jurisprudential formulation of the Islamic political system, on the other hand, is made by Allah, and imposed upon both leaders and followers in the same degree under the supervision of the Maker, Allah. Those submitted to, implementing and judging the Islamic system are, on even terms, slaves of God, the Maker. Both are imposed to the system. Both are to submit to God only.

4th Pillar - The Commonalty's Contentment

The public, usually, count on having an ideal jurisprudential formulation that is capable of determining general, as well as private, goals, and capable of delving into the apropos means for attaining such goals. They, as well, look forward to having the most favorable and fittest political leader that is most knowledgeable of constituents of the jurisprudential formulation. In favor of saving people from this grievance, the Divine Care provided the solution by explicating the most agreeing jurisprudential formulation. The solution was Islam with all its components; the Holy Quran and the Prophet's traditions; words, deeds and signature. The leader who is most familiar with that jurisprudential formulation, as well as the most favorable and the fittest, was Mohammed. After Mohammed's decease, the succeeding leader must be the one nominated by Mohammed according to God's command through revelation. The same is repeated after the decease of the current divinely assigned leader.

The public's contentment to this divine characterization of the jurisprudential formulation, as well as the political leadership, shall lead to sublime welfare and guidance to the right path. This result is attained only by accepting the divine characterization which means applying the formulation and acceding to the leadership. In adversary conditions, God shall certainly leave the public for undergoing and suffering penalty of disobedience if they reject the divine mandate, formulation and leadership by opting for one not assigned and decided by Allah.

Simplicity of the Islamic System

How can one realize that he is on the divine right path? It is an undiscussible rule that he whoever accedes to political leadership assigned by Allah is with Allah. In a like manner, it is logic that those who supported Mohammed are forming the party of Allah, while those antagonizing are the party of the Satan even if they continuously adhere themselves to performing the duties God has imposed. This is by reason that acceding and following the divine leadership is the criterion with respect to which is membership of any of the two previous parties is determined. The very same thing is said about those who pursue or antagonize the divine successor of Mohammed.

Following Mohammed was the exact distinction between the truthful and the liar. There was a great deal of people who performed ritual prayers, established mosques, gave alms and could find excuses for their failing to appear in fields of battles led by the Prophet. Yet, they were decided, by Allah, as hypocrites. This was for nothing other than the fact that their following Mohammed had been incorrect.

Political Circumstances of Inventing the Sahaba's Ultimate Decency Conception

Othman­bn­Affan held leadership of the Islamic nation after the assassination of Al­Faruq. Othman, as a nature, was fond of caring for his relatives. The Umayids began their journey to throne consecutively. The caliph himself accredited their being his men and consults; so, he gathered them around him. Practically, the entire affairs of the state became in the hands of Marwan­bn­Al­Hakam who, later on, issued the orders of assassinating Mohammed­bn­Abi­Bakr and his associates, using the caliph's seal without seeking permission or authorization. This situation is precisely described in Ali's saying: “After his being old­aged, Othman, the previous companion of the Prophet, handed his sword to Marwan directing it as he liked.”

Who was Marwan? He is one of the ‘released’ and classified with the inclined­hearted group. Those are individuals given a share of the alms for making their hearts attached to Islam. His father, Al­Hakam­bn­Al­Aas, was deported out of Al­Madina all over the reigns of the Prophet, Abu­Bakr and Omar. When Othman came to power, Al­Hakam was permitted to return to Al­Madina with full respect and dignity. Besides, he was gifted one hundred thousand dirhams as a compensation.

Abdullah­bn­Abi­Sarh was one of those who played a considerable role in establishing the Umayid state. He was the governor of Egypt; that rich province. Who was Abdullah­bn­Abi­Sarh? He was the very one who had forged lies against God. Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) sentenced him to death penalty in absence. It was fully legally to kill that man whenever found even if he hangs to the Ka'ba's curtains. (This is recorded in As­Seeretul­Halabiyya, Section: Mecca Conquest.) On the day of conquest of Mecca, Othman accompanied the man as he was seeking the Prophet's canceling the death penalty. For a considerable period, the Prophet kept silence hoping that the man would be killed by any. None could implement the Prophet's will; thus, he had to secure him. It is not unacceptable to say that the seed; Muawiya, that had been planted by Abu­Bakr - by assigning him as the governor of Syria - had been rooted in the land firmly. For twenty years, Muawiya kept the position of governing Syria. He had full authority to do anything in that valuable land. So, he levied and gifted without supervision.

Marwan, Muawiya, Abdullah­bn­Abi­Sarh and Al­Waleed­bn­Aqaba, the governor of Kufa who performed the Fajr prayer with four Rak'as - units of prayer; those four released’ persons were the best students of Abu­Sufian's school. Even Othman, the caliph, was about to be given a graduating certificate from that school.

Al­Jawhari records the following: When Othman was named for caliphate, Abu­Sufian addressed at him: “This affair - authority - was Taim's. They were originally unfitting. Then, it became in the hands of the Edi's. They were more unfitting than the previous. Only then it returned to its proper place and settled for its original people. Yes, like a ball, receive it and hand it to one another.”

On another occasion, Abu­Sufian addressed at Othman: “My father and mother I do sacrifice for you! Spend over and do not be the like of Abu­Hajar. O sons of Umaya! Hand it one another, just like children's handing a ball one another. By God I swear, there is no Paradise and no Hell.” Az­Zubeir was attendant in this situation; therefore, Othman had to rebuke Abu­Sufian. “Is any body else here, my son?” wondered Abu­Sufian. Az­Zubeir shouted: “Yes, there is. By God I swear, I will never keep it secret!!”

Precisely, In his Al­Kamil Fit­Tarikh, part3, Chapter: Events Preceding Othman's Assassination, Ibnul­Atheer records: (Once, Marwan­bn­Al­Hakam shouted: “Deformed be your faces! Do you intend to strip our sovereignty?”)

In the last quarter of Othman's caliphate, authoritarian affairs became absolutely in the hands of the Umayids. It became hardly to see a province ruled by other than the Umayids, if not the ‘released’. Thus, it became reasoning that any who would succeed Othman should certainly be an instrument operated by the Umayids, lest he should engage himself in a lightless night and an uneven mined land.

As a result of large expansion of the Islamic state, owing to the conquests, numbers of the fresh Muslims and pocket beneficiaries of the state became greatly large. In a like manner, number of the honorable Sahaba on whose shoulders the Mohammedan government was established was in continuous deficiency. Thus, the foremost Sahaba became as sparse as a single white hair in a black bull's skin. As Imam Sharafuddin Al­Amili expresses: “Sahaba, in that period, became the like of alarmed sheep in a winter night.” This was because of the abundant catastrophic misfortunes they had to encounter sooner or later. Muawiya, the crafty, had full acquaintance of these matters. Before assassination of Othman, he menaced the Sahaba: “You are as scanty as a black spot in a white bull's skin.”

The situation became in this form; the whole provinces were loyal to or governed by the Umayids. Muawiya­bn­Abi­Sufian, son of the previous leader of the parties conflicting the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and the one suckled by Hind bnt­Utbeh, became the only leader. He was governor of Syria, center of the circle and guardian of the Umayids. Besides, he granted himself the right of avenging Othman. In fact, demanding with taking vengeance of Othman was not more than a game plan aimed at guaranteeing continuity of the Umayids' rule. It was certainly a case of continuity of the Umayids' rule which, actually and practically, began on the day when Abu­Bakr assigned Yazeed­bn­Abi­Sufian as a governor. All matters went well after assassination of Omar, and none demanded with taking vengeance. This rule became firmer and firmer till it attained climax in the last of Othman's reign. It was turned into a decided sovereignty. This is the very meaning intended by Marwan's saying: “Deformed be your faces! Do you intend to strip our sovereignty?”

It became proved that Othman's assassination was forming no crux at all. So, insistence on condemning the assassinators was not pivot of the case. This is confirmed by the fact that Muawiya, when became the authoritative caliph, did not demand with condemning Othman's assassinator. As a matter of fact, it was a case of domination! For the Umayids, killing blameless people is not that incompatible matter. Marwan­bn­Al­Hakam issued a decision of sentencing Mohammed­bn­Abi­Bakr and his group to death penalty without being condemned to anything. Muawiya did kill Al­Hadrami whom was accused, by bn­Ziyad, of acceding to Ali. It was Muawiya who killed Amr­bn­Al­Hamq whose face was distorted due to his distinctive worship. It was Muawiya who killed Hijr­bn­Edi and his associates; those godly pious groups who enjoined good and forbade evil. It was Muawiya who gave authority to bn­Ziyad in massacring people and crucified them on trunks of date palm trees. Hence, Muawiya's most important concern is sovereignty and taking revenge for killing his grandfather, maternal uncle, cousin and his brother.

Seizing the opportunity of Al­Jamal battle, Muawiya goaded Talha, Az­Zubeir and A'isheh. He promised Talha and Az­Zubeir to be assigned as rulers of Basra and Kufa. When they were defeated in this conflict, Muawiya enlisted for breaking a war against Ali.[15]

In his Muawiya­bn­Abi­Sufian Fil­Mizan, Abbas Mahmud Al­Aqqad says: “A certain trickery by which wonderful achievements were attained, was frequently practiced by Muawiya against Muslim, as well as non Muslim, rivals. This trickery was mainly depending upon ceaseless work of creating discrepancies and despondency among the adversary party. This was carried out by throwing seditious matters and arising malice in the lines of the adversary party. The same trickery was actually used against people of his family and relatives. He could not tolerate noticing any concord between any two individuals. The natural competition between his most remarkable enemies could support him in accomplishing the trickery of throwing animosity among them.”[16]

Muawiya went on practicing this easygoing plan. He would spare no effort for creating as much as possible variant trends and parties. He would be surely described as the sower of discord if he was accurately balanced historically. The authentic signification of men and deeds is determined by the straight readers of history especially in matters like some historians’ accounting the year of Muawiya's full domination of the Islamic state as ‘year of congruity’. This was because he had been the direct and main reason beyond Muslim's discrepancies and discord. Owing to so and the like, it is so unfamiliar to constitute forms of agreement with the existence of such claims. Being not sufficed by seeding discrepancies, Muawiya left people in plenteous discrepancies; each follows a definite norm.[17]

He used Bishr­bn­Arta'a and sent him to Al­Madina where he terrified and humiliated the Sahaba.[18]

Precisely, by means of killing, destroying, firing, creating discrepancies and reviling at the Prophet's supporters and companions, Muawiya could gain people's swear of allegiance. He used the wealth he had illegally levied and expended in Syria for twenty years, for solidifying his dominion. One of his strategies was naming a definite salary to be given to the military officials of the state at nominating the new caliph.

Disregarding the Announced Goal for Dissenting the Legality

Muawiya and A'isheh, Ummul­Mu'minin, mutinied against the legitimate caliph demanding with condemning Othman's assassinators. When Muawiya came to power by force, neither Ummul­Mu'minin nor did he practice or demand with this affair.

Renaissance After Inadvertence

Although his father and he were among the ‘released’ and they led conflicts against Islam with an unexampled enthusiasm till they had to profess Islam for saving their souls, Muawiya, the son of Abu­Sufian, became the authoritative leader, the representative and the successor of Mohammed on people.

How had such a revolution occurred? How had the right been defeated? How had the right become retarded while the wrong advanced? How had the ‘released’ become preferred to the Muhajir? How had those who restricted Islam become favored to those on whom this restriction fell, for the sake of Islam?

The most astonishing matter is that the year in which strength defeated legality has been named ‘year of congruity.’ Thus and so, the virtuous people failed. They were heavily depressed as they felt of deep sorrow and nonsuccess. Anyhow, it was too late to repent. They had matters within their hands. As is they were living in an inadvertence, they wake up on effects of a horrible nightmare. When they opened their eyes and minds, they found the nightmare a reality.

Hypotheses Serving the Factuality

People were engaged in analyzing what had been occurring. A great deal of variant hypotheses and conception were come forth. For instance, Sufism, the conception of imputing matters - good and evil - to Allah, fatalism and the Sahaba's ultimate decency; these faiths were originated. The Umayids, together with their supporters, were the main incentive beyond emanation of such conceptions. They were used as a high quality weapons for defending the Umayid royalty. Besides, they were used for dispersing the rivals' efforts for the sake of establishing pillars of the Umayid royalty and substantiating its false legality.

Chapter 3 - Purpose of Inventing the Sahaba's Ultimate Decency Conception

1. Substantiation

1. Substantiating the process of the wrongful seizure of power: Muawiya, the ‘released’, the son of the ‘released’ and one of the inclined­hearted category, found himself the president, or the king, of the Islamic state, the representative and, officially, the successor of God's messenger. This is incredible and unbelievable! It is unacceptable according to the entire intellectual, doctrinal and positive criteria. The father, Abu­Sufian, was the head of the parties opposing Islam and the director of polytheism during the entire battles. His sons, supporters and he exerted all efforts and used all weapons for resisting Islam. They had to confess Islam only when they had been completely surrounded. Here is his son, Muawiya. He is preceding all those who had preceded him to Islam and whose shoulders were the pillars on which Islam was established.

There should be a justification of this revolution. The best way selected was ruling of decency of all of the Prophet's companions. As long as Muawiya and his faction are reckoned with Sahaba, according to terminological and the lexical meaning of this idiom, who are entirely decent, and shall be in the Paradise, and none of them shall be in the Hell, and there is no difference between them because of the total qualifications they, indistinctly, enjoy, then what should prevent Muawiya from being the caliph and the Muslims' juristic leader? What, in the same manner, should prevent his faction, who are Sahaba terminologically and lexically, from being his close entourage? They are so decent that all of them shall be in the Paradise and none shall be in hell­fire. The far-reaching conception of the Sahaba's ultimate decency is the most ideal substantiation of Muawiya's royalty. This wide­spreadingness shows evidently a real view of Muawiya’s artfulness and evil cunning.

2. Substantiating deeds of Muawiya and his faction: The most catastrophic misfortunes Islam and Muslims had faced were on the hands of Muawiya and his faction. Bishr­bn­Arta'a and Muslim­bn­Aqaba, for instance, committed the most terrible crimes from which even the heavens complained and the most hard hearts bled. In the Harra collision, the whole warriors of Badr were killed. Seven hundred men of Quraish and the Ansar were killed. From ordinary people, about ten thousand souls were killed in that collision. Nothing intercepted those commanders from killing the children. This crime was perpetrated by Bishr­bn­Arta'a when he killed the babies of Ubeidullah­bn­Abbas. In addition, battles against Imam Ali prove the criminal conduct of Muawiya and his faction. The most offensive matter, however, was Muawiya's planning for terminating Mohammed's progeny inclusively. In executing so, his faction and he used several devious devices for murdering. He poisoned Al­Hassan­bn­Ali (peace be upon him), Abdor­Rahman­bn­Khalid­bn­Al­Waleed, as bn­Abdil­Berr records in his Alisti'ab, and Abdor­Rahman­bn­Abi­Bakr As­Siddiq. Malik Al­Ashtar was also poisoned by Muawiya. For this, Amr­bn­Al­Aas said: “Allah does have soldiers of honey!” Furthermore, Muawiya made Muslims engaged in various discrepancies and discord. Al­Aqqad says that Mohammed's nation had been absolutely incapable of achieving unanimity whatever they attempted. Certainly, the Islamic jurisprudence was deformed on the hands of Muawiya. (The truth is that the Umayid reign was not Islamic..,), Dr. Ahmed Amin says.

Is there any way of substantiating these ill deeds other than the invention of the Sahaba's ultimate decency conception? As the entire Sahaba are so decent that they shall be in the Paradise, Muawiya and his faction, then, had not committed any mistake. Had they been mistaken, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), the indisputably authentic and true­tongued who does never speak out of desire, would not have declared the entire Sahaba’s being in the Paradise. Considering him as an elicitor Sahabi, Muawiya is rewarded in all cases. He shall be double rewarded if he kills rightfully, otherwise, he shall be once rewarded. Muawiya is the right, whether he fights or opts for peace, attacks or absconds, takes or gives. This is because he is a Sahabi; and Sahaba are entirely decent.

2. Immunity Against Criticism, Maligning, Reviling and Imputing Dishonor

Accompanying substantiation of Muawiya's usurpation of leadership, the Sahaba's ultimate decency conception verifies crimes and offenses committed by his faction and him. Likewise, the conception grants immunity against any sort of criticism, including the constructive, railing, maligning and detracting from the estimate of such individuals since they are Sahaba and, consequently, decent. He whoever criticizes, maligns or rails at any of the Sahaba, especially those who are presidents of the state, is reckoned with the miscreants whom are to be not shared in food and drink and to neglect offering their dead bodies the ritual funeral prayer. This (juristic) rule is recorded in At­Thehbi's Al­Mizan. There is no other conception or plan that can immunize Muawiya such as this Sahaba's ultimate decency conception.

3. Confronting Rivals of Muawiya and His Faction

Adopting the Sahaba's ultimate decency conception secures victory, or tie at least, of Muawiya and his faction in any conflict against rivals. For example, if Mohammed's progeny affirm that they are those from whom God has removed - mental and physical - uncleanness and purified them a thorough purification, Muawiya and his faction will immediately submit that simultaneous answer of considering Mohammed's companions - Sahaba - as decent that they do never lie, since they all shall be in the Paradise and none of them shall be sent to the hell­fire. If Mohammed's progeny assert that those who cause harm to them should be reckoned with those who cause harm to God, Muawiya and his faction shall provide that immediate answer that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) say: “They are harming me those who harm any of my companions..” In such a manner, the right is mixed with the wrong, the obedient with the disobedient and the virtuous with the sinful.

4. Engaging Muslims in Discrepancies

In case Muawiya obtains the ability of emanating and broadcasting of the Sahaba's ultimate decency conception with its wide­spreading features, a party of Muslims will adopt, and another will contravene. Controversy, accompanied by fanaticism, will arise in each party's convictions. This will lead to discrepancy and that each party record convictions that shall certainly be followed by a great deal of successors pursuing partisan imitation, claiming of defending the right and their own viewpoints. Regarding the conception involved, those who support such a conception are not necessarily supporting Muawiya. They claim of supporting the Prophet's companions. Those who disagree to the conception, on the other hand, are acquitting themselves from the view of dissenting the Prophet's companions, indicating that their aim is divulging trickeries and political cabals hidden for the other party. Practically, each party has actually stood in the face of the other shunning Muawiya who, in that case, is watching the two cheerfully, preparing himself to be the arbiter whenever necessary. This is the very artfulness intended by Al­Aqqad in his Muawiya­bn­Abi­Sufian Fil­Mizan.

Grounds of the Sahaba's Ultimate Decency Conception

bn­Arafa­Naftawayih, one of the most notable hadithists - records that most of narratives appertained to merits of the Prophet's companions were forged in the Umayid reign, as the forgers intended attaining the rulers' satisfaction since they conceived that such falsity would submit the Hashemites. These false narratives were formed in such a way that every Sahabi, lexically or terminologically, would be the most virtuous guide in this world and that curses are continuously thrown on those who malign or accuse any of the Sahaba of any matters.[19]

Unanimously, historians assert that the origination of forging lies against the Prophet was in the last of Othman's reign and after occurrence of the revolution that prejudiced the caliph's soul. This falsity was extended and spread after people's swearing allegiance to Ali as he became the legitimate caliph. As soon as Muslims selectively declared their fealty to Ali, the Umayid's devil moved its horn for usurping the affair from its rightful owner. At any rate, events went on and some of declarants of fealty broke their allegiance to the fourth Rashidite caliph. The consequence of such a repeal was a good many battles and conflicts between Muslims, that were ended by the Umayids' dominating power. Due to so, in fact, structure of Muslims' conformity was seceded, ring of the their unification was ruptured, many contradictory sects were originated. besides, the many irreconcilable parties went on advocating their ideas by words and deeds on the account of the other party. Ground of founding the false hadiths and exegesis of the Holy Quran was quite proper. So, each party exaggerated in defending its ideology that discrepancy, in its highest rank, occurred. Nothing was more catastrophic to Islam than forging false sayings and imputing erroneous and heretic matters to its doctrine. These were the elements that spoiled Muslim's intellects and caused others to mistrust fundamentals of Islam. Misfortunes and detriments of such false narratives were chiefly undergone by those who lived under dominion of the Umayids. In that reign, the number of hadithists had recorded a great typical progress, while the number of authentic people had been in gradual retardation. Majority of the moral Sahaba ceased reporting the Prophet's narratives unless they had full acquaintance of decency of the one they were to report to.[20]

Imam Mohammed Abduh referred to the procedures taken by Muawiya for himself. He asserted that Muawiya had used a mass of the Sahaba and their successors for fabricating ill news against Ali (peace be upon him). The composition of such mendacious sayings falsely imputed to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), was referring to maligning and repudiating Ali. As Muawiya set a considerable remunerative prize for forging such lies, those individuals did their best for seeking his satisfaction. Abu­Hureira was one of those narrators.

In His Dhuhal­Islam, Dr. Ahmed Amin says: “It is to mention that the Umayids did actually forge or employ people to forge lies against the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) that flow in the service of their policies from various sides.[21] Muawiya gifted Abu­Samara­bn­Jundub, the Sahabi, with five hundred thousand dirhams for inventing the lie of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) stating that Ali­bn­Abi­Talib had been the one intended in the Verse: (And among men is he whose speech about the life of this world causes you to wonder, and he calls on Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the most violent of adversaries.) In a like manner, Abu­Samara forged the lie of the Prophet’s having saying that Abdor­Rahman­bn­Muljim, the assassinator of Ali (peace be upon him), had been the one intended in God's saying: (And among men is he who sells himself to seek the pleasure of Allah; and Allah is affectionate to the servants.)”[22]

Ahaadeeths Narrators

Abu­Hureira Ad­Dusi, is one of Muawiya's associates and followers. He imputed 5374 sayings to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Only 446 sayings of them are recorded by Al­Bukhari. Abu­Hureira accompanied the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) for less than 18 months. The Prophet's grand companions who had adhered to him from the first moment of his divine envoy till his being transmitted to the Elevated Associate, reported less than one hundred hadiths - narratives. The grand Sahaba are Abu­Bakr, Omar, Othman, Ali, Abdor­Rahman­bn­Awf, Talha­bn­Ubeidillah, Me'ath­bn­Jabal, Selman, Zaid­bn­Thabit and Ubey­bn­Ka'b. This is an evident example.

Muawiya's Merits

In his Al­Fawa'idul­Majmu'a Fil­Ahadithil­Mawdu'a, Ashawkani, who proves falsity and unauthenticity of the entire (hadiths) regarding praising or mentioning Muawiya's credits, says: “Having reckoned hadiths appertained to Muawiya's virtues with the forged ones, Ibnul­Jawzi excused that Isaaq­bn­Rahawayih, Al­Bukhari's most authentic narrator, confessed of the fact that none of the hadiths respecting Muawiya's virtues had been authentic at all.”

An­Nisa'i had that famous story pertaining Muawiya's virtues. Ad­Darqutni relates: An­Nisa'i's companions asked him about Muawiya's preference. He answered: “How come is it not sufficient for him to be equated with any, that he seeks preference?” For this reason, he was pushed out of the mosque..[23]

Ashafi'i's Impression on Muawiya

Abul­Fida relates that Ashafi'i informed Ar­Rabee, secretly, of the fact that testimonies of four individuals from among the Prophet's companions should not be admitted. Those four are Muawiya, Amr­bn­Al­Aas, Al­Mugheera and Ziyad.[24]

This might have been the incentive that made bn­Muin ruled of dishonesty of Ashafi'i in narrating hadiths.

Al­Hassan Al­Basri's Saying

At­Tabari mentions that Al­Hassan Al­Basri used to say:

“Four ill deeds, any of which is sufficiently periling, are Muawiya's. They are his using the ill­minded ones - with the existence of the Prophet's companions and virtuous individuals - as rulers of this nation till he could dominate and cancel principal of advisory. His nominating Yazeed, his son, the drunkard who dresses silky clothes and plays on drums, as his successor. His avowing Ziyad as his brother, whereas the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) had said: 'Babies are for the bed, and the prostitutes' share is stones.' His killing Hijr and his companions. Woe will be him due to killing Hijr and his companions. Woe will be him due to killing Hijr and his companions.”

The Entire Sahaba's Ultimate Decency Conception is Having Umayid Flavor

According to the content of the entire Sahaba's ultimate decency conception, Mohammed's progeny must have been reckoned with the decent. This should definitely make the Umayids stop their maligning and reviling at them.

Nonetheless, it is noticeable that regarding to his situations towards Imam Ali, Muawiya, the chief of the despotic party, adopted the very situation his father had against the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Yazeed, the son, made no difference in his situation against Al­Hussein­bn­Ali. As soon as he came to power, the first procedure Muawiya took was writing missives to his governors and officials, ordering them of declaring cursing Ali during prayers and from pulpits. Furthermore, sessions of sermons, in Syria, were programmatically ended with reviling at Ali. Testimonies of those who accede to Ali or any of his progeny were inadmissible. Names of such individuals, who showed loyalty to Ali or any of his sons, were erased from the general record of the province. Hence, they were discriminated and intercepted from receiving any of the governmental salaries everybody joined.[25]

In his Muawiya­bn­Abi­Sufian Fil­Mizan, Al­Aqqad records: “Even if only the preponderant reports regarding Muawiya's orders of cursing Ali from pulpits of the Umayid state, are accepted, this will be acceptably sufficient to prove authenticity of the other reports involved in the same topic.”[26]